Preview

Hills Like White Elephants

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
390 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Hills Like White Elephants
After reading the story “Hills Like White Elephants” there are many possibilities as to what will come of the American man and his girlfriend. Throughout the story the two characters seem to dance around each other. This stems from the issue that they have an underlying problem that festers because of a lack of communication.
Although, we are never able to hear the couple speak about their issue in a very meaningful way, we are still able to assume where the problem may lie. Throughout the story the girlfriend shows her inability to express her thoughts, feelings or opinions to persons in her life, For example: when the bartender speaks in Spanish or when she is asked if she would like to order her drink with or without water. She even changes her mind about something as simple as her attraction to the surrounding hills. Her extreme indecisiveness causes her to be completely reliant on her husband’s opinion and knowledge. When the discussion of the girlfriends operation is brought up, the couple seems to abstain from engaging in the conversation. This again shows the girlfriends indecisiveness towards what she wants. This translates into as something as serious as possibly having an abortion. As an example, “I think it’s the best thing to do. But I don’t want you to do it if you don’t really want to.” “And if I do it you’ll be happy and things will be like they were and you’ll love me?” (225) this dialogue between the couple shows that immediately after she hears her boyfriend’s opinion, she thinks they will be better off after the procedure. She wants nothing more than to follow through with the abortion in order to please her boyfriend.
I am troubled by the fact that the girlfriend really believes an abortion will be the solution to the couple’s problems, and that she believes that her decision will strengthen their relationship and make them happier. I am convinced that with the indirect control the American man has over his girlfriend that the she could
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Sun Also Rises vs. Hills Like White Elephants
    • 846 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Sun Also Rises vs. Hills Like White Elephants

    In “Hills Like White Elephants,” both the girl and the American man drink alcoholic beverages all throughout their conversation to avoid each others’ company, as well as the problems that are occurring within their relationship. They begin drinking the largest beers available the moment they arrive at the train station. It’s almost as if they begin drinking to consume their free time with anything else that is available other than discussion. The girl, Jig, strikes up small talk mentioning how the hills resemble the shapes of white elephants. In the same breath she asks to order more drinks “Anis del Toro…Could we try it?” (Hills 211). She does this to presumably put off the inevitable oncoming conversation about the unborn child she was carrying. The reader can infer from the back and forth conversation that they are speaking of pregnancy. The use of “white elephants” in the description of the hills is used to describe a valuable but burdensome possession which its owner can not get rid of but whose cost is not proportionate to its worth or usefulness, in this case referring to a child abortion. This idiom can set the background for the awkward conversation. The couple drinks primarily to avoid…

    • 846 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    “Hills like White Elephants” and “Girl” Themes and Symbolism
    • 1068 Words
    • 5 Pages

    “Hills like White Elephants” and “Girl” Themes and Symbolism

    The themes in the said stories are similar in they attempt to control the girls’ sexuality, yet they are different, in their approach to doing so. In, “Hills like White Elephants”, the American man consistently and angrily persuades his girlfriend to have the operation based on a foundation of false promises. The theme being talking verses communicating and the power it has to build up or tear down. Although “Hills like White Elephants” is mainly a conversation between the American man and his girlfriend, neither of the speakers truly communicates with the other, stressing the fissure between the two. Both talk, but neither listens or fathoms the other’s point of view. Angered and placating, the American man will say about anything in persuading his girlfriend to have the operation, which, although never…

    • 1068 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Short Story 'Hills Like White Elephants'
    • 957 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Short Story 'Hills Like White Elephants'

    The girl, called Jig by her lover, is torn between a moral responsibility to her unborn child and a romantic bond between herself and the American. On one hand, the American is her lover; she doesn’t want to lose their relationship. She seems willing to do anything to stay with him—almost anything. On the other hand, this unborn child has an unspoken connection that every child shares with its mother. Cutting away the baby would be cutting away that connection.…

    • 957 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Bartleby The Scrivener Gender Roles
    • 879 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Bartleby The Scrivener Gender Roles

    Jig asks her lover if he will worry about the procedure, and he responds by saying he considers the treatment simplistic, and then Jig states, “Then I’ll do it. Because I don’t care about me.” This statement further asserts the idea that Jig is looking to appease her male counterpart and put her own feelings aside in order to remain with her lover. Jig doesn’t want to lose her current relationship, because her internalized gender stereotypes tell her that women need to be supported by a male figure. Additionally, Jig is continuously being pressured to make her decision by overbearing lover. The man states early on in the story states that, “[They’ll] be fine afterwards. Just like [they] were before,” and then finally claims that the only problem that exists between them is this decision on whether Jig should have an abortion or not. Jig is faced with the decision to either not receive the treatment, which could end in the destruction of her romantic relationship, or to go through with treatment, but regret her decision for the rest of her life. Due to the external pressure to please her lover, like a “good” women would do, Jig receptively states, “I’ll do it,” and soon begins to contemplate this decision. Even though the reader is never…

    • 879 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Hills Like White Elephants Ending Analysis
    • 547 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Hills Like White Elephants Ending Analysis

    This couple was talking about a very serious topic but didn’t want to make it obvious to the people around them what they were talking about; but there was enough details to infer the subject of their conversation. The woman wanted to keep the baby, but the man disagreed and thought having an abortion would be best for the two of them. They were always living on the road and never stayed in once place for a long period of time. The man believed this was a good enough reason to not have the baby, but the woman argued, saying the baby could be on the road with them. Another thing they didn’t see eye-to-eye about is, the man believed “ It’s the only thing that’s made us unhappy” and “I think it is the best thing to do” but the woman was just worried if the man would still love her after the operation, if she would change her mind do it. After the two were disgusting this while drinking, the woman was starting to have enough of the conversation, it seemed and kept the man to stop talking. She wanted to keep the baby while the person she was going to have the baby with didn’t want the same thing. During the whole conversation between the two of them, they never used the word abortion; they never wanted the people around them to understand what they were disgusting. The readers of this story…

    • 547 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Black Man And White Woman In A Dark Green Rowboat Analysis
    • 1324 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Black Man And White Woman In A Dark Green Rowboat Analysis

    Abortion is not a ‘women’s only’ issue. Beginning at conception, every pregnancy involves two or more bodies. Typically a man does not have a role in this process. Here we see three short stories that show the readers a range of abortion situations. “Hills Like White Elephants”, Ernest Hemingway shows the readers a woman struggle to make a decision wether she could keep this unborn child or keep her male dominated the relationship. “Good People”, David Foster Wallace is about two young Christian couple who are concerned with ensuring they are making the right decision between abortion and keeping the unborn child. “Black Man and White Woman in a Dark Green Rowboat”, Russell Banks is about a young white woman who decided to get an abortion…

    • 1324 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Similarities Between The Storm And The Story Of An Hour
    • 656 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Similarities Between The Storm And The Story Of An Hour

    Jig seems to use the unborn child as her freedom and the American is very upright with the fact that he does not want to have it. He enjoys his worry free lifestyle that he has going for him. He is very manipulative with how he attempts to push her into having the surgery telling her that nothing will change afterwards “We’ll be fine afterward. Just like we were before” (401). The American wants to remain in control, he does not want to have to answer to someone let alone have a child hold him back from living his worry free lifestyle.…

    • 656 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Fetal Abnormality Case Study
    • 747 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Fetal Abnormality Case Study

    Jessica’s theory influences that all life is sacred and would not receive an abortion and that aunt Maria is more of an influence. Although Jessica would like to be independent and economically secure, she values life. Because Jessica is related to Aunt Maria, we believe Aunt Maria would have a greater influence than Dr. Wilson. Since Aunt Maria believes Jessica should go through the pregnancy, Jessica will go through the pregnancy with the support of her husband Marco. Marco’s theory shows that even though he wants to be independent and economically secure he values his wife’s opinion and is willing to sacrifice comfort for her happiness. Aunt Maria indicates that she would go through with the pregnancy because not only is it a responsibility for her as a mother to have the baby, but also God has a plan and everything works out to be as he intends. Dr. Wilson determines that “scientifically and medically” it does not make sense to go through with the pregnancy. Therefore Dr. Wilson would have Jessica go through with the abortion and both would face the consequence of never knowing how the baby would have turned…

    • 747 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Jig In Ernest Hemingway's Hills Like White Elephants
    • 800 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Jig In Ernest Hemingway's Hills Like White Elephants

    She is not sure of which decision to make and in the beginning of the story she appears willing to let the man decide. As the story goes on and her and The man’s conversation evolves the reader can tell that Jig is tired from the excess traveling that they do, understands that the man’s love is conditioned on if she gets the abortion or not, and his continuous efforts of trying to convince her to get the operation done regardless of her feelings. Everything has lead up to Jig becoming relaxed and sure of herself now. She may not know what decision she will make when it comes to the abortion, but she knows it will be her own and The man will not be able to say anything against…

    • 800 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Hills Like White Elephants Literary Analysis Essay
    • 1006 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Hills Like White Elephants Literary Analysis Essay

    Another theme that was prevalent throughout the story was the struggle with communication between the couple. The communication between the characters seemed coy and often evasive. They seemed to talk around the subject instead of being upfront about how they were truly feeling. For example when the girl states “I don’t feel any way, I just know things.”(Clugston, 2010) She refuses to express how she is really feeling about her desire to keep the child. The American knows she is hesitant about the abortion, yet he continues to humor her by telling her that she doesn’t have to do it (Clugston, 2010). It almost seems as though they spend the entire conversation avoiding the subject by briefly making interjections pertaining to…

    • 1006 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Essay On Symbolism In Hills Like White Elephants
    • 693 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Essay On Symbolism In Hills Like White Elephants

    Foremost, the first sign of symbolism is presented when Jig was looking at the line of white hills, she observes that “they look like white elephants”(Hemingway). This use of symbolism with the hills looking like white elephants delivers the idea of the “elephant in the room,” being the topic of Jig’s decision on the abortion. This reference to the hills looking like white elephants sparks the conversation of Jig’s “operation,” which constantly only ends in the couple resenting each other, which is why the topic is normally avoided completely while they spend most of their time drinking and traveling. Jig constantly makes subtle hints that she’d like to keep the child, while her boyfriend makes subtle hints that having that child would lead to the end of their relationship, regardless of the condescending reassurance that if she “doesn't want to, she doesn't have to.” Jig is left with the decision of choosing to follow the man’s hidden suggestions about aborting their child or she can follow her own instincts and keep the child that she seems to see as more of a gift than a problem. This use of symbolism shows how love can influence your decision making when one is given the ultimatum of staying with one’s lover, or following their own personal…

    • 693 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Hills Like White Elephant By Ernest Hemingway
    • 460 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Hills Like White Elephant By Ernest Hemingway

    The woman on the other hand, wants to keep the child and raise it. Throughout the story the man tries to pressure the woman into getting an abortion, however, he does so very…

    • 460 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Hills Like White Elephant By Ernest Hemingway
    • 1316 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Hills Like White Elephant By Ernest Hemingway

    Nilofer Hashmi agrees with me by saying she decided to have the abortion but not in order to resume her life with the American (72). The conversation between the two seem to indicate that there is little love between them (Hashmi 73). The girl now wants more than a relationship based on sex and alcohol, would have no reason to stay with the man. However, there are some details in the short story that fail to fit this scenario. Why is she smiling at a man who she supposedly can’t tolerate when he tells her he should move the bags?…

    • 1316 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Gender Roles In “Hills Like White Elephants”
    • 286 Words
    • 1 Page

    Gender Roles In “Hills Like White Elephants”

    At this point, the young woman is emotionally damaged. She understands that she has to choose between her lover and her unborn child. She also realizes that she really has no choice at this point and that she is not in control of her body. This is why she ends up emotionally removing herself from the situation in order to go through the abortion. For instance, she says to her lover, "Then I'll do it. Because I don't care about me"� (363). It is as if she is giving into her dominant male lover. Her body was used for pleasure and now, due to the consequences, the evidence must be discarded as if it were…

    • 286 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Ernest Hemingway Misogyny
    • 997 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Ernest Hemingway Misogyny

    As Hashmi stated, many critics have agreed that the relationship between the girl and the American has fallen regardless of the outcome (Hashmi 72). Critics have also agreed that there are three scenarios that can happen in which there is no one answer. However, support from many critics such as Hannum suggest that a fourth scenario is possible in which the girl will have the abortion but the man will go against his word and leave her (Hashmi 74). This outcome is strongly visualized and support by Howard Hannum in which he argues that she has the abortion but she decides not to be with him because she can not tolerate his acts no longer. This could be a plausible outcome because throughout the story the relationship between the two is lacking love and excitement. Also the emotions shown by both are very bland until the ending in…

    • 997 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More